Sizing a jack and jack stands

[Threepoint]

Jackstands are rated in pairs.

I use 6ton for everything. Not only for capacity but for added working height.

Get good stands. Not cheapies from Princess Auto or HF. I had some PA 6 Tonners colapse on me. Luckily I wasnt under when it happened, but was sitting a truck down on one side before moving over to the other so the stands were unevenly loaded. It was only a f150 though.

Im using ones by Napa now that are 7 ton and ASME rated.http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/C...cheting-Jack-Stands/_/R-NLE7915160_0344221454 They are substantially better made than the cheap chicoms and not that much more money considering they are a safety item. I also have a set of really oldskool made in the USA Blackhawk 6 tonners that are decent.[snip]

Scooby, I was curious about your experience with the Princess Auto 6 ton jack stand, so I called PA technical support to find out how they rate them. What an eye opener for me. Turns out that the PA 6 ton stands only have the capacity of the Harbor Freight 3 ton stands, and the PA 12 ton stands have the capacity of HF 6 ton. I suspect the quality is similar, if not the same, and that the difference is in the rating method. PA rates their stand only as a pair, so each stand is individually rated at only 3 tons. They don't say that on their website, though, and you won't find it in their product manual. By contrast, Harbor Freight rates their 6 ton stands individually, thus capable of supporting 12,000 lbs as a pair, with the load evenly distributed across them.

Also, HF claims their stands meet ASME standards. Here's the manual for the 3 and 6 ton models. See p. 2. http://manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/61000-61999/61196.pdf

 

[SPYDERLK]

Scooby, I was curious about your experience with the Princess Auto 6 ton jack stand, so I called PA technical support to find out how they rate them. What an eye opener for me. Turns out that the PA 6 ton stands only have the capacity of the Harbor Freight 3 ton stands, and the PA 12 ton stands have the capacity of HF 6 ton. I suspect the quality is similar, if not the same, and that the difference is in the rating method. PA rates their stand only as a pair, so each stand is individually rated at only 3 tons. They don't say that on their website, though, and you won't find it in their product manual. By contrast, Harbor Freight rates their 6 ton stands individually, thus capable of supporting 12,000 lbs as a pair, with the load evenly distributed across them.

Also, HF claims their stands meet ASME standards. Here's the manual for the 3 and 6 ton models. See p. 2. http://manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/61000-61999/61196.pdf

Difference? 12000 as a pair or 3T each? :confused2:

 

[Threepoint]

Difference? 12000 as a pair or 3T each? :confused2:

Spyder, thanks for catching this. You're quite right. The HF rating of 12,000 lbs of balanced load per pair does indeed equate to 3 tons per stand. So PA and HF are rating comparable stands the same way after all. My apologies to the Princess! :laughing:

 

[bdog]

Don't buy jack stands from horrible freight. I have bought some things there and sometimes they work and sometimes they break. I don't want something I trust my life with coming from there. Other things it doesn't matter much if they break I can take them back for the lifetime warranty but generally it isnt pretty when jack stands fail.

 

[Capricious]

Forget the jack stands: use what the professionals* use. Concrete blocks and bricks.






(*Professional thieves. You can't drive around this town without seeing vehicles with no wheels sitting on blocks)

 

[Capricious]

double post

 

[Threepoint]

Don't buy jack stands from horrible freight. I have bought some things there and sometimes they work and sometimes they break. I don't want something I trust my life with coming from there. Other things it doesn't matter much if they break I can take them back for the lifetime warranty but generally it isnt pretty when jack stands fail.

If you've bought much at HF, I don't doubt you've had spotty experiences on some of their stuff, as I have once in awhile. I've noticed, though, that they seem to have upped their game on quality control on a lot of the mechanics' tools and equipment they offer. As for their ratchet jack stands, I've used both their 3 ton and 6 ton stands for years, on cars, trucks, tractors and (the 6 ton) a 15K lb motor home for years. I think they are quite good. Not just a good value, but good in fact. As has been noted, though, ratchet-style stands are vulnerable to sharp bumps to the ratchet lever that can cause unintended release. If I'm going to be doing much more than draining engine oil, trans or hydraulic fluid, I add additional support.

 

[Egon]

Note: The stand is only as good as the ground it's sitting on.

 

[Threepoint]

Forget the jack stands: use what the professionals* use. Concrete blocks and bricks.

(*Professional thieves. You can't drive around this town without seeing vehicles with no wheels sitting on blocks)

:laughing: Hollow-core blocks and bricks, of course, for the professional thieves. You can't expect them to carry around solid-core materials and still move as quickly!

 

[Threepoint]

Note: The stand is only as good as the ground it's sitting on.

Boy, that's a good point.